WOW! I've been called to the ministry!

I always knew I was called, but I never answered God because I didn't know if it was really Him and had no idea what the calling was.  And for 25 years was lost, although I thought I was saved.  This week...just this week...in fact last night it all came together.  So...here it is:

Paul said that Peter was called to bring the Good News to the Jews. He said that he himself was called to bring the Good News to the Gentiles. Here is my calling: 

• To bring the Good News to the mentally disabled…to set them free and bring them out of hiding, coming into the Light without their costumes and masks on.
• To BREAK the barriers down of misunderstanding and stereotyping of those suffering with these illnesses.
• To show my mentally disabled brothers and sisters that GOD in His infinite wisdom and power can and does use our disabilities to glorify His name. 
• In Christ, filled with the Spirit of Holiness, we are no longer liabilities to God…we are assets, and are just as much His vessels as the rest of our Christian family.

I know this will be a challenge and thought about Satan's attacks against me, but then I read in Dan Stone's book "The Rest of the Gospel" that I'm just the vessel and the Trinity is the content...it's them that Satan will be taking on.  And guess what...he has already been defeated!!!!!  Next blog will be painful for me, and I need to ready myself to post it.  Love to all of you, whoever you are!

Health Discussion - Fibromyalgia

This condition is a NASTY one for several reasons: you are in constant pain in various parts of your body, sometimes one pain will be more intense in one place (say your left thumb or your right lower abdomen)...it stays a while, moves on, or sometimes stays permanently.  Changes in the barometric pressure affects you.  Any trauma or injury to your body invites the fibromyalgia to move in.  For instance, I fell January 2010 and tore a ligament in my right foot.  Went through x-rays, mri's, wearing a special boot, cortisone shot, etc.  I still have the pain...for how long I don't know.  Fibromyalgia is closely connected to chronic myofascial pain (more about that later) and chronic fatigue syndrome.  So basically you're this always tired, body in pain that sometimes even flares up and feels like cancer pain, worn out person with depression because nobody believes there's anything wrong with you because you don't look sick.  There are medicines and they sometimes help, but they also have side affects.  Do you have this?  Well...go to your rheumatologist and get diagnosed.  Seeing a psychiatrist, especially one who deals with chronic pain patients as well...they will help you more than you know.  LEARN YOUR LIMITATIONS AND DON'T OVERDO!!! FM patients tend to have "bed" days, then when they feel good, they become superman/woman and try to make up for lost time cleaning, working, exercising, etc.  DON'T DO IT!!!  You're just going to end up back in bed.  Beware of all the internet Dr. John's Medicine Show cures...they just want your money.  Chronic pain causes desperation...don't give in...call your mom, your best friend, your pastor, your psychiatrist, and let them know you're in a meltdown.  DON'T WITHDRAW...YOUR INNER SANCTUM IS NOT YOUR FRIEND DURING THIS TIME!!!  Talk to me...let's get through this crappy condition together.  And remember...God says He will accomplish EVERYTHING he has planned for you, pain or no pain.  Sending you FM patients my comfort, love, and encouragement!  Time to go watch Barefoot Contessa!

Several "WOWs"

Good morning all.  I haven't blogged you in a week, and have come up with several "WOWs" for you.  I'm reading the "ians"...Galatians, Ephesians, Philipians, Colossians.  Filled up a bunch of pages during my studies.  I also got some from other sources.  Here they are:

1.  God has NO grandchildren!  You can't be God's child through someone else's faith...YOU have to acknowledge your OWN sins, repent of them to God through Jesus Christ, accept Him as your rescuer or Saviour, and receive in gratitude His gift of grace and salvation to you. (Joyce Meyer)

2.  Write your plans out, then let God have the eraser! (Our Daily Bread) Psalms says basically the same thing - commit your plans to God and let Him take control.  My favorite verse comes from Proverbs..."Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understandings.  In all your ways acknowledge Him, and He shall direct your paths."

3.  Each day you have the choice of showing up for life...or just existing and waiting to die.  Did you know that many suffering, lonely people who can't bring themselves to commit suicide and end their life, just give up...and count the days until their death.  Brothers & sisters...this is a slow form of suicide.  Realize this and change your choices.  The most important thing you can do each day is to give YOUR pain & suffering to God, and do something loving for someone else each day.  God blesses that so much.

4.  One final WOW...there is a hymn called "Out of My Bondage, Sorrow, & Night" (page 178, Baptist Hymnal).  In one of the verses it says "...out of my sickness, into Thy health...".  Rejoice...you may be sick, given only a short time to live, or your sickness is chronic and you will live with it for the rest of your life, or your mind is ill...the list goes on.  So why rejoice?  Because Jesus is in perfect health, and this is not about you...it's about Him.  All those awful injuries he suffered on this earth  He has been healed of by His father, God.  WOW!  And remember, remember, remember...when you get to be with the heavenly hosts and the Trinity, you will be completely healed.  People don't realize that death is the perfect healing of a sick body.  REJOICE!!!!

Wednesday, February 2, 2011

Hello Everyone.  I guess my last blog kind of blew you away.  Sorry, but it's the only way to help you understand my brain, my manner of communication, my behaviors online, and whatever else confuses you about me!  So...I like structure, not just rambling on in each blog so I'm going to break my blogs into sections.  Here goes...

• What happened this week & what did I learn from it
• A Bible or hymn "WOW".   I strongly recommend that you have a Bible...I use the New Living Translation, but have several other translations.  The reason is that I'm going to sometimes tell you to go read certain verses so you can understand the "WOW" that I saw in them.
• One of my health issues...an explanation in laymen's terms and how it affects me
• A life experience that I feel might help one of you
• Something funny

I believe in practical CHRISTianity...so what I share with you will be something you can use in your walk towards God.

Tonight, I leave you with God's promise to accomplish everything He has planned for you.  Accomplish...doesn't mean it happens overnight...it might take days, years, who knows but God?  Look in your thesaurus...accomplish means to perfect or complete.  So hang in there, trust in Him, He is mysterious in some ways, but if you have been rescued from eternal condemnation through His Son, Jesus Christ, you are truly under His wings...like a momma hen gathers her chicks under her wings to protect and keep them.  Amen?